Integrated Attendance Strategy of Dublin 8

Integrated Attendance Strategy of Dublin 8
Name: Elizabeth Hoyne
Job Title: Educational Welfare Officer
Geographical Area of Work: Dublin 8 Liberties /
Coombe Area and Part of Dublin 2
Integrated Attendance Strategy of Dublin 8
 Under Article 42 of the Irish Constitution all children are
entitle to receive an Education
 This right is protected by legislation known as the Education
Welfare Act, 2000
 NEWB Reporting Structures for Schools
 Returns / Annual Attendance Reports (AARs)
Integrated Attendance Strategy of Dublin 8
 Visualise the role of the Educational Welfare Officer
 Allocation of Schools to Educational Welfare Officers (EWO)
22 Schools = Approx. pupil population of 4,000
 Scale of School Absenteeism
Integrated Attendance Strategy of Dublin 8
 Previous response mechanisms devised included
individual case work, learning from practice and local
interventions
 In 2009 Announcement to Integrate the services of
HSCL, SCP with EWS in the NEWB
 National momentum was building for collaborative
working
 In the Summer of 2010 Integrate Strategic Action
Plan was put in place in Dublin 8 Liberties Cluster
School Attendance Policy
Integrated Attendance Strategy of Dublin 8
Universal and
Preventive Attendance
Strategies
Early
Intervention
Strategies
Intensive Intervention
Attendance Strategy
Integrated Attendance Strategy of Dublin 8
Priority Strategy = Intensive Integrated Core Target
Group Strategy for Liberties Cluster
1. Pupils with Chronic levels of School Absenteeism
10 pupils x 10 DEIS Band One Schools = 100 pupils
Common Agreements:
 Each child would be placed on an attendance chart
 Monthly Attendance Meetings attended by HSCL,
SCP, EWO and School Principal
 Monthly attendance letter sent after meetings
Integrated Attendance Strategy of Dublin 8
 Integration within the Core Target Group Strategy:
 The 100 selected pupils were the top case load of
EWO and followed EWO case management
 The same 100 pupils were profiled according to SCP
Criteria and followed SCP intervention profile
 The same 100 pupils were monitored by HSCL on the
attendance chart system and positive parental contact
was made regarding attendance throughout the entire
school year
Integrated Attendance Strategy in Dublin 8
 Results of Core Target Group Strategy:
- School Year Prior to Strategy 2009 /2010 each pupil
on the Core Target Group missed on average 42
school days each
- School Year after work took place on the Core Target
Group each pupil missed on average 24 days each
- On average therefore the attendance improved by
42% or put another way each pupil on the Core Target
Group attended school for almost one month more
than the previous school year
Integrated Attendance Strategy of Dublin 8
 Preventive and Motivational School Attendance
Strategies:
- School Welcome Strategy
- Frequent School Attendance Awards / School Award
- Communication Wall
- EWO Classroom Roll Book Visits
- Parental Communication Strategy
- Use of Incredible Years Strategy
Integrated Attendance Strategy of Dublin 8
 Early Intervention School Attendance Strategies:
- Member of School Staff to Champion Attendance
- Standardised letters sent by school at agreed absent
days
- Agreed pre parental meeting at specific number of
absent days
- EWO Classroom Roll Book Visit
- EWO at Intake Parent meetings and Parent committee
meetings
Integrated Attendance Strategy of Dublin 8
 Common School Attendance Policy for the Liberties
Area:
Universal
and
Preventive
Strategies
Early
Intervention
Strategies
Intensive
Integrated
Strategies
Integrated Attendance Strategy of Dublin 8
 Results of Integrated Attendance Strategy:
- Overall the Liberties cluster area improved
attendance by 9,768 school days in 20 10/2011 than in
2009/2010
- Based on a Primary school year of 183 days this
equates to 53.3 years worth of Primary schooling or a
25% reduction in school absenteeism across the
Liberties area
Integrated Attendance Strategy of Dublin 8
 Results of Integrated Attendance Strategy:
- 120 less pupils were reported to the NEWB in the
school year 2010/2011 than in 2009/2010 for missing
over 20 school days
- This equates to a 22% reduction in the number of
pupils reported to the NEWB from the Liberties area
- Pupils with chronic levels of school absenteeism
improved their attendance on average by 42%
Integrated Attendance Strategy of Dublin 8
 Schools Involved in the Integrated Attendance Strategy:
St. Audoens Primary, Mater Dei Primary School, Scoil San
Seamús, St. Francis Street CBS, St. Brigids Primary School,
St. Enda’s Primary, Scoil Treasa Naofa, Presentation Primary
Warrenmount, St. James CBS Secondary and Presentation
College Warrenmount
NEWB Service Strands: EWS: Elizabeth Hoyne, SCP :
Margaret McGlynn HSCL: Niamh Kavanagh, Brían
Comaskey, Cliodhna O Reilly, Victoria McQuaid, Terry
Kehoe, Anne Dempsey, Johanna Doherty, Deirdre Cronin and
Kylie Hill